Detergent dispenser having a compressible container



March 23, 1965 E. H. HAVILAND 3,174,691

DETERGENT DISPENSER HAVING A COMPRESSIBLE CONTAINER Filed April 29, 1963 EARL H. HAVILAND INVENTOR BY' A ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,174,691 DETERGENT DISPENSER HAVING A COMPRESEEBLE CQNTAHQER Earl H. Haviland, 68% Old Hartford Road, Baltimore 14, hid. Filed Apr. 29, 1%3, Ser. No. 276,576 1 Claim. (Cl. 239-414) This invention relates generally to dispensing devices, and more particularly to a dispenser for adding a substance in controlled amounts to a flowing stream of another substance.

In applications involving the use of a stream of water or the like for cleaning purpose and requiring in many instances movement of the outlet of the stream with respect to the object being wet, such as may be provided with a hose connected to a stationary water supply, it is often desirable to enhance the cleaning power of the stream by adding thereto, as in the case when the stream is of water, amounts of cleaning agent such as soap or detergent.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an apparatus or dispenser for adding a substance such as soap to a flowing stream of fluid such as water, which apparatus is economical to manufacture and easy to use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel soap dispenser which is portable, of simple construction, and the use of which enables a stream of soap containing water of good cleaning power to be obtained.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a soap container which is connectable with a hose type nozzle in a manner to enable variable controlled amounts of soap to be added to a stream of water discharged from the nozzle.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide means to add variable controlled amounts of soap to a stream of water, which means does not require mechanical adjustments, miXing containers, or a siphon. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

These and other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent and understood from the following detailed specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a soap dispenser of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the soap dispenser of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of another embodiment of a soap dispenser of the present invention.

Referring now to the details of the drawings, in FIGS. 1 and 2 are shown a soap dispenser consisting essentially of a nozzle it) having a body portion 11 and a connector 12, including a threaded bore 13 and a rubber washer, at one end of the nozzle for attachment to a hose l4. Nozzle has a tapered bore 15 running from the connector end thereof, through body portion 11, and terminating in an orifice at the opposite end thereof.

A compressible container 18 is mounted onto nozzle 10 as generally shown in FIG. 1. This mounting may be obtained as shown in FIG. 2 by providing nozzle 1% with a boss or plug 17 extending from its body portion and having a gripping surface of ridge 22 or the like for tight engagement with the neck or outlet of container 18. Plug 17 may also be tapered inwardly to permit easy insertion of container 13 thereover.

Within plug 17 there is provided a bore 19 in communication with another bore 19a in the body portion 11 of nozzle 10 for transferring soap from container 18 to the stream of water 16 issuing from the orifice of tapered bore 15. The soap dispenser of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 is preferably oriented so that the outlet of bore 19a is above the orifice of bore 15, whereby soap, shown as 20, discharged from said outlet comes into contact by gravity with the stream of water 16 discharging therebelow.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of a soap dispenser of the present invention in which nozzle 30 has an angularly shaped body portion 31 with a connector 32, in eluding a threaded bore 33 and a rubber washer, at one end of the body portion for attachment to hose 14 shown in phantom lines. Nozzle 30 has a tapered bore 35 extending therethrough, angling with the body portion 31 to communicate with connector 32 and terminating in an orifice at the opposite end of the nozzle.

In the modified version of the invention depicted in FIG. 3, a tapered plug 37 extends rearwardly from the straight portion of nozzle 30 so that container 18, shown in phantom lines, is essentially mounted along the major longitudinal axis of nozzle 30. Plug 37 also is provided with ridges 42 for gripping the interior surface of the neck 24 of container 18. Said container is depicted in this embodiment as having a cap 44 threaded onto the exterior of its neck 24 and having an aperture to permit plug 37 to pass therethrough. Longitudinal bore 39 is provided to transfer soap from the container to the stream of water issuing from bore 35.

To operate a soap dispenser of the present invention a container of soap in liquid form or a mixture of soap flakes and water, herein collectively referred to as soap, is mounted onto a hose nozzle such as nozzles 19 or 30 by forcing the container neck over the plug provided on the nozzle. The water supply is turned on and soap container 18 is squeezed as shown in FIG. 1 to cause an amount of soap to discharge from the outlet of bores 19a or 39. Since this discharge of soap as a stream 20 is visually observable, the eifectiveness of the squeezing action on container 18 and amount of soap obtained thereby is controllable according to the amount of soap desired. Generally, the volume of soap discharged varies with decrease in volume of container 18 caused by the squeezing thereof.

Mixing of the soap with the stream of water occurs out side of the nozzle by turbulence within the stream itself and additionally, by agitation upon contact with the object being Washed. The diameter of soap supply passages, such as bores 19a and 39, are preferably small enough so that soap is discharged therethrough only by the application positive pressure, i.e., squeezing, to container 18. Consequently, the soap dispenser assembly of container and nozzle can be laid down without incurring loss of soap from the container by leakage through the detergent supply passage.

Container 18 is made of a material that is inwardly defiectable or compressible, such as plastic. Nozzles 1i and 39 and equivalents thereof can be made of metal or plastic or combinations thereof.

The present invention is generally suitable for adding other fluidized substances in simple and economical fashion to a stream of other fluids.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claim the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

A soap dispenser, comprising, a unitary nozzle member having a bore for directing the passage of water therethrough and terminating in an orifice so as to discharge water in a stream therefrom and another bore terminating in another orifice above the first mentioned orifice for discharging liquid soap as a separate visually observable 3 4 stream into said first mentioned stream exteriorally of 1,220,730 3/17 Costner 2393l8 said nozzle, a compressible container for supplying Said 2,062,097 11/36 Lingard 239318 liquid soap to said another bore, with said another bore 2,743,913 5/56 Gundlach 239-318 being of small enough diameter to prevent the flow of said 3 052 417 9 62 Daniel 239 327 soap therethrough except when pressure is applied to said 5 compressible container, and means formed integrallywith FOREIGN PATENTS said nozzle member for mounting sald compressible con- 23376 12/56 Germany. tamer by 1ts outlet.

References Cited by the Examiner 1O EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENTS LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiner.

1,179,905 4/16 Engelmann 239314 

